Tuesday 17th of May 2005

Two brand new BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of Douglas Adams’s Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy novels, So Long and Thanks for all the Fish and Mostly Harmless, will be launched for the very first time on audio this May and June.

The Quandary Phase (published on 23rd May) and the Quintessential Phase (published on 20th June) will each include around 30 minutes of exclusive footage that will not be included in the Radio 4 broadcast.

The cast of last year’s Tertiary Phase, which was based on Adams’ book Life, the Universe and Everything, are once again reunited in these excellent new productions. Starring are Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, Susan Sheridan as Trillian, Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox, Stephen Moore as Marvin the Paranoid Android and William Franklyn as the voice of The Book. The productions also feature a host of spectacular guest stars including Christian Slater, Stephen Fry, June Whitfield, Bill Paterson, Arthur Smith, Sir Patrick Moore, Miriam Margolyes, Griff Rhys Jones, John Challis, and Roy Hudd.

A stroke of casting genius, that will delight fans of Hitchhiker’s, sees Sandra Dickinson take the role of the alternative Tricia McMillan (Trillian). Sandra Dickinson played the role of Trillian in the 1981 BBC television adaptation.

Produced by Above the Title Productions Ltd, and with a fantastic musical score by Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens, Quandary Phase and Quintessential Phase will be released on 23rd May and 20th June respectively, and will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 from 3rd May until 21st June 2005.

Listen To A Clip From The Quandary Phase Online